Device for predetermining length of yarn on spool



April 17, 1962 c. w. DAVIS 3,029,588

DEVICE FOR PREDETERMINING LENGTH OF YARN ON SPOOL ATTO R N EYS A ril 17, 1962 c. w. DAVIS 3 0 9,5

DEVICE FOR PREDETERMINING LENGTH OF YARN ON SPOOL Filed Jan. 16, 1959 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 CZTZD INVENTOR.

ATTORNEYS United States Patent() 3,029,588 DEVICE FOR PREDETERMINING LENGTH OF YARN N SPOOL Charles W. Davis, Medford, Mass, assignor to Dunn Engineering Associates Incorporated, Cambridge, Mass., a corporation of Massachusetts Filed Jan. 16, 1959, Ser. No. 787,201 7 Claims. (CI. 57-78) The present invention relates to textiles and, more particularly, to the winding of yarn on spools. In the factory, when yarn is wound on a spool, its length oftentimes is left more or less to chance, the winding procedure being discontinued by an operator when a visual inspection indicates approximately that a predetermined length of yarn has been wound.

The object of the present invention is the provision of an automatic device for measuring the length of yarn being wound upon a spool and for discontinuing the procedure when a predetermined length of yarn has been wound. The device employs an extremely simple counting mechanism in novel combination with textile twisting' apparatus. More specifically, the counting mechanism is operated by a cam that rotates about an eccentric center upon the shaft of one of the two rollers conventionally serving to deliver a plurality of strands to a bobbin before which they are twisted and upon which they are wound. After a predetermined number of revolutions of these rollers, the counting mechanism causes their separation by actuating the control mechanism that in the past served to cause their separation in response to a break in one of the plurality of strands.

. Other objects'of the invention will in part be obvious and will in part appear hereinafter.

'' 3,029,588 Ice Patented Apr. 17, 1962 which is shown at 38. Each of these provides a bearing surface that is U-shaped in cross-section. These bosses are carried by a cradle 28 in association with a drive roller 42. The arrangement is such that cradle 28 is pivotable between an operative position and an inoper' The invention accordingly comprises the apparatus 1 possessing the construction, combination of elements and arrangement of parts, which are exemplified in the following detailed disclosure, and the scope of which will be indicated in the claims.

For a fuller understanding of the nature and objects of the present invention, reference should be had to the following detailed description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a side elevation of a textile twister in combination with a counting mechanism, embodying the present invention.

FIG. 1(a) is a reduced side elevation of a component of the twister of FIG. 1.

FIG. 2 is a side view of the counter of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 3 is a top view of the counter of FIG- URE 1;

FIGURE 4 is a side view of the counter of FIGURE 1, with its cover plate removed in order to show details of its operating components;

' FIGURE 5 is a top view of the counter of FIGURE 2, with its housing broken away to show details of its operating components; and

FIGURE 6 is an end view of the counter of FIGURE 1, with its housing broken'away to show details of its operating components. h t

Generally, FIGURE 1 illustrates part of a device for delivering a plurality of strands 20 (only one strand is visible in the drawing because the strands lie behind one another in the same plane) from a suitable supply toward a suitable spool as they are twisted into a unitary yarn 22. This delivery is effected by a pair of rollers 24 and 26, between which a plurality of strands 20 are pinched. The opposite ends of shaft 25 of roller 24 are journaled in a pair of lower bosses, one of which is shown at 36., The opposite ends of shaft 27 of roller 26 are journaled in a pair of upper bosses, one of ative position. In the operative position, as shown, shafts 25 and 27 are spaced from the inner extremities of their bearing surfaces and rollers 42, 24 and 26 are frictionally engaged in sequence. In the inoperative position, with cradle 28 pivoted to the left from its illustrated position, shafts 25 and 27 are in contact with the inner extremities of their bearing surfaces and rollers 42, 24 and 26 are separated from each other.

Normally, cradle 28 is retained in its operative position by a latch 43. Latch 43 includes a catch 44, which is carried by an arm 45 that rearwardly extends from cradle 28, and a hitch 46 pivoted at 47. Hitch 46 provides a notch 48, which engages catch 44 and a cam surface 49, which engages a surface of cradle 28 when cradle 28 is in its operative position. Extending rearwardly from hitch 46 is a mount 51 which, carries a sensing component 53. Sensing component 53 includes a bank of sensing elements 55 (commonly called drop wires), each providing an upper eye for the reception of one of strands 20 and a lower lug for coaction with a wiper drum 57 and a latch release mechanism 59. Normally, sensing elements 55 are maintained in their uppermost positions by'reason of the tension of strands 20. If, however, one of strands 20 were to break, its associated sensing element would drop under gravity into engagement with wiper drum 57. In consequence, with refer ence to FIGURE 1, latch release mechanism 59 would cause hitch 46 to rotate in a counter-clockwise direc tion, cradle 28 would rotate in a counter-clockwise direction and rollers 42, 24 and 26 would separate. Counter 50, now to be described in detail, normally maintains one of sensing elements 55 in its uppermost position but at the end of a predetermined cycle permits it to drop to its lowermost position in order to cause rollers 42, 24 and 26 to separate and the twisting and winding procedure to halt.

Counter 50, in accordance with the present invention, is mounted on cradle 28. Generally, counter 50 comprises: a metering means in the form of a ratchet subassembly 52, which is actuated by a follower 54 in engagement with a cam 56 that rotates with the shaft of roller 26; a manually adjustable control sub-assembly 58 for setting and stopping the operation of ratchet assembly 52; and a drive sub-assembly 60 that, after being cocked in response to an initial manual movement of control sub-assembly 58, operates ratchet assembly 52 under the guidance of a follower 54. These sub-assemblies are mounted upon a base 62 and enclosed within a housing 64. An auxiliary mounting plate 66 is secured upon base 62 by means of suitable posts 68.

Drive sub-assembly 60 and control sub-assembly 58, as illustrated, are constructed as follows. In drive subassembly 60 is a shaft 70 upon which rotates a sleeve 72. Keyed to sleeve 72 are the inner end of a clock spring 74 and a pinion 76. Also keyed to sleeve 72, as part of ratchet sub-assembly 52 is a ratchet wheel 78. The outer end of clock spring 74 is connected to a pin that extends from mounting plate 66. Control subassembly 58 includes a control gear 82 and a cam 86. Control gear 82 and cam 86 are keyed for rotation to a shaft 84, which is journaled on base 62 and a mounting plate 66. Following cam 86 is the inturned lug 87 of a lever 88 that is keyed to a shaft 89. Secured to the inner end of shaft 89 is a lever 90, which is linked to sensing element 55 (FIG. 1). In the following manner, cam 86 is provided with a notch 91 from which lug 87 is removed at the beginning of a predetermined cycle and into which lug 87 is lodged at the end of the predetermined cycle. As shown in FIGURE 4, a tongue 93, which is rotatable with respect to cam 86, is urged toward a stop pin 95 secured to cam 86 by a spring 97 secured to cam 86. When a counting cycle is initiated, cam 86 is rotated, by means of a manually-operated lever 92, through an are which is indicated by a stop pointer 94 and an indicia plate 96 outside housing 64. Accurate positioning of stop pointer 94 with respect to indicia plate 96 is ensured by a detent pin 181 afiixed to stop pointer 94 and a series of detent notches provided by indicia plate 96. When lever 90 is in its extreme upward position, initially it is maintained in this position by tongue 93 which is urged to cover notch 91 by spring 97. Under these circumstances manual rotation of lever 92 causes lug 87 to ride alOng cam 86 and causes spring 74 to be wound. Lug 87 is removed from notch 91 when cradle 28 is pivoted into its extreme clockwise position (as shown in FIGURE 1) in order to lock latch 43.

As indicated above, ratchet wheel 78 is keyed to sleeve 72 for rotation with pinion 76 under the bias of spring 74. Independently rotatable with respect to ratchet wheel 78 is a step ratchet wheel 98. Drive ratchet wheel 78 and step ratchet wheel 98 are engaged by spring pawls 100 and 102, which extend from a spring base 104 that is mounted upon base 62. Step ratchet 98 is stepped increment by increment, by a spring pressed pawl 106 that is carried by a lever 54. Lever 54, which is urged into contact against cam 56 by a spring 108, oscillates as roller 26 rotates. Drive ratchet wheel 78 is controlled by pawl 102 and a auxiliary pawl 118, which are onehalf step out of phase with respect to each other. In consequence when 162 is lifted from engagement, by a roller 112 at the periphery of step ratchet wheel 98, drive ratchet wheel 78 is caused to rotate by spring 74 one-half step into engagement with pawl 110. Similarly, when pawl 110 is lifted from engagement by roller 112, drive ratchet wheel 78 is caused to rotate by spring 74 onehalf step into engagement with pawl Thus, drive ratchet wheel 78 steps one increment for each complete revolution of step ratchet wheel 93. Consequently, cam 86 is stepped one increment through gear 82 which meshes with pinion 76 that is keyed to control ratchet wheel 78.

In operation, after the various strands 28 have been threaded through the eyes of sensing elements 55 and between rollers 24 and 26, the mechanism by which strands are supplied and are twisted and wound, causes rotation of rollers 24 and 26. Consequent rotation of cam 56 causes lever 54 to oscillate. Each cycle of lever 54 causes step ratchet wheel 98 to rotate one step. Each full cycle of step ratchet wheel 98 causes drive ratchet wheel 78 to rotate one step. It will be observed that any setting of control arm 92 serves to wind spring 74 a sufficient degree to permit operation in the foregoing way.

Since certain changes may be made in the above apparatus without departing from the scope of the invention herein involved, it is intended that all matter contained in the above description or shown in the accompanying drawing shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

What is claimed is:

1. In combination with a twisting mechanism including a pair of rollers for delivering a plurality of strands to a bobbin before which they are twisted and upon which they are wound, a counting mechanism comprising a cam that rotates with one of said rollers eccentrically about the axis of said one of said rollers, said counting mechanism comprising following means associated with said cam, metering means intermittently actuated by said following means, control means for determining the cycle of operation of said metering means, and drive means for operating said metering means under the control of said control means in response to said following means.

2. The combination of claim 1 wherein said metering means is a ratchet.

3. The combination of claim 1 wherein said control means includes a notched cam and a follower therefor and said notched cam rotates in response to said metering means until said follower contacts said notch.

4. The combination of claim 1 wherein said drive means is a helical spring.

5. The combination of claim 1 wherein said metering means is a ratchet, said control means includes a notched cam and a follower therefor, said notched cam rotates in response to said metering means until said follower contacts said notch, and said drive means is a helical spring.

6. For use in combination with a twisting mechanism including a pair of rollers for delivering a plurality of strands to a bobbin before which they are twisted and upon which they are wound, a counting mechanism comprising a cam that rotates with one of said rollers eccentrically about the axis of said one of said rollers, said counting mechanism comprising following means associated with said cam, metering means intermittently actuated'by said following means, control means for determining the cycle of operation of said metering means, and drive means for operating said metering means under the control of said control means in response to said following means, said metering means being a ratchet, said control means including a notched cam and a follower therefor and said notched cam rotating in response to said metering means until said follower contacts said notch, said drive means being a helical spring.

.7. In combination with a twisting mechanism including roller means, stop means and a plurality of sensor means, said roller means serving to advance a plurality of strands to a bobbin before which they are twisted and upon which they are wound, said stop means when actuated serving to stop said advance of said plurality of strands, said plurality of sensor means being operatively associated with said plurality of strands for actuating said stop means when detecting a break in at least one of said plurality of strands, a counting mechanism including metering means synchronized with said advance of said plurality of strands, and control means for actuating said stop means at the end of a predetermined cycle of said metering means.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,559,648 Schulz Nov. 3, 1925 1,816,738 Netherland et al. July 28, 1931 1,860,578 Heinitz May 31, 1932 2,131,706 Joyce et al. Sept. 27, 1938 

